What Happens
by Notinmyhead
Summary: Just a collection of one shots :)
1. Tiny Coffins

What Happens chapter two

Callie comforts Arizona after a nightmare about the tiny coffins

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Her eyes snapped open to reveal the darkness of their bedroom, but she could barely make out anything around her. She glanced over to the alarm clock on the night stand, and from what she could see through her sleep filled eyes is was thee in the morning. She frowned to herself, because she'd just worked a fourteen hour shift, so she had no reason to be waking up in the silly hours of the morning.

Despite her confusion, her thoughts were answered when she received a sharp elbow to she shoulder from Arizona, and she immediately knew what was going on. Arizona was having another tiny coffin nightmare.

These didn't happen very often anymore. Maybe every few months or so, and when they happened they were horrible, but Arizona had told her that they were much more frequent before she met Callie. Back when she didn't really have anyone, so it was so much easier to become attached to children and their parents. Sure, every patient she ever saw she considered important and any loss hit her hard, but it caused the nightmares more when she had gotten to know the family, and how big a loss it was to them.

The blonde tossed and turned in her disturbed slumber, a sheet of cold sweat covering her forehead. She mumbled unintelligible words in her sleep, her eyebrows furrowing and her lips slipping into a half pout.

"Noooo…." She moaned, rolling over to stuff her face into the pillow as if to tune out the dream, and her legs kicked feebly. The tone of her voice broke Callie's heart.

She placed a gentle and comforting hand on Arizona's upper arm and shook her gently. "Arizona, sweetie, wake up." She tried to wake her up. "It's just a dream."

It took a few more minutes of comforting words and gentle shaking before Arizona's eye darted open and she sat up pin straight, her eyes searching the room wildly for recognition. As soon as she became aware of where she was and what was going on, she raised a shaking hand to her forehead and leant back against the pillows, her face scrunching up with tears.

"Hey, shhh…" Callie felt like she was cooing to a young child, but she understood. What it was like to have a nightmare. You aren't aware that it's not real, and when you wake up you genuinely feel like a child again. Defenceless and vulnerable, and needing comfort. The speed of your heartbeat is impossibly fast and it's damn near impossible to sleep again.

"He died…" She choked out, turning into Callie's embrace and letting her emotions take over.

"Who did, sweetie? Tell me everything." Callie said softly, running her fingers through Arizona's hair. This was a motion her mother always did when she was little and upset, and she knew it was one of the most comforting thing ever. It took Arizona a few minutes to respond, whether it was from to many tears or the thought of the story, Callie didn't know.

"Micah… He was four. He was born at twenty five weeks, and he had all sorts of disabilities. He was talking about this special school he was going to after the summer, and how they were going to this summer camp… He was so excited…" She rambled and Callie pulled her closer.

"Oh, Arizona…" She sighed. It must be horrible for her. Their own situation with had been just the same, if not worse, but Sofia was a happy and healthy four year old who loved Frozen. It was scary sometimes to realise that one wrong move could have caused a whole different path for her life, and it was something she remembered to thank god every day for.

"I just kept thinking about us… I almost lost you both…" She started to cry again and that set her off for another good five minutes.

"Don't worry… We're all fine…" Callie whispered into her ear.

It took another while for Arizona to completely calm down. When she did, they both cuddled up tightly and it wasn't long until she had fallen back to sleep, although Callie noticed that her hands were still shaking.

She, as carefully as she could, slipped out of Arizona's embrace, trying not to wake her. She did so successfully, before getting up out of bed and tiptoeing across the room, not bothering to close the door behind her.

The sight she as met with when she cracked open the door to Sofia's room melted her heart. Sofia, completely and utterly out of it, was sprawled out in a very awkward position across the bed, her by now very destroyed teddy bear, fuzzy, dangling from her grasp. Callie could just make out the steady rise and fall of her chest through the darkness, and the sight made her smile. Arizona was right. Not even a full five years ago she and Sofia had been battling for their lives, and now they were here. Perfectly healthy, perfectly happy.

"She's kinda perfect, isn't she?" Callie jumped as Arizona walked up behind her, obviously having woken up at Callie's absence. Her eyes were still red and puffy from crying but the look of happiness on her face was unmistakeable. Callie wrapped her arm around her shoulders and nodded in agreement.

"She definitely is."

"I see she's back into that purple thing." Arizona giggled, pointing out Sofia's purple pyjama op and matching bottoms.

"Yup. Although she did mention something the other day about buying red socks…"


	2. Let's Dance

What Happens

So I recently went on holiday to Florida, and of course I had to go to Miami! Everything was so relaxed and beautiful there, and I could totally imagine Callie growing up there. Anyway, we went to Miami Beach and there was a band playing some kind of music, and loads of people were watching and I saw this couple dancing, and I immediately thought of Callie and Arizona.

Chapter three

"They're gonna hate me, they're gonna hate me…" Arizona muttered under her breath as they watched for their luggage arriving on the carousel. No matter how many times Callie had assured her that they would love her, Arizona's nerves over meeting Callie's family were no way near diminished.

"They're gonna love you, they're gonna love you…" Callie muttered back in the exact same tone, taking Arizona's hand in hers and giving her a reassuring smile. "I love you, so they'll love you."

Arizona scrunched her nose, laughing at that last comment. "You're such a sap."

"A sap who you love." Callie sighed, putting on a big fake smile and batting her eyelashes.

"Okay, Calliope." Arizona laughed, before jumping up. "Look, our bags!" She pointed to the carousel where there was indeed a black suitcase heading towards them. They were only staying a week so they figured they wouldn't need a bag each. Callie quickly grabbed the bag and began to pull it away, Arizona following beside.

"So what brings you to Miami?" Our taxi driver asked us as we got settled in the back of the car. Arizona's leg wouldn't stop bouncing and Callie had to put her hand on her thigh to stop it.

"We're visiting my parents." Callie replied with a smile. Not much was said after that, and the whole journey was in silence, apart from Callie occasionally pointing out different places and buildings.

"Oh, wow!" Arizona exclaimed as they pulled up to Callie's childhood home. It was like one of those houses that you saw on TV after Extreme Makeover or something, or on the front of brochures but you never actually saw in real life- until now.

"Pretty cool, huh?" The taxi driver laughed as he helped them unload their bags/cases, before getting back into the car and driving off.

"You didn't tell me that your house was practically a freakin' mansion!" Arizona exclaimed to Callie, who just laughed. Just then, probably because they'd heard the car or the voices, the rest of Callie's family came spilling out of the front door, engulfing Callie in hugs that nearly cut off her oxygen.

"Aria- can't- breathe…" She pretended to joke with her sister who let her go at once.

"And you must be Arizona!" Lucia exclaimed, walking forward to Arizona who was standing there nervously.

"That's me! It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Torres!" Arizona greeted, sticking her hand out. Lucia studied it for a second before pushing it out of the way and leaning in for a hug. Arizona was shocked for a moment but soon hugged back.

"We hug in this family, dear, and call me Lucia." Lucia told her warmly, and Arizona felt relieved. It was going better than expected. Aria then ran over to hug her.

"Finally we get to meet the famous Arizona Robbins! Callie never shuts up about you, whenever we talk." She told her, making Callie groan loudly and face-palmed.

"Ariaaa!"

Carlos laughed at his daughters before holding his hand out to Arizona, who shook it gladly. Although there was no hugging involved he was smiling warmly, which put everyone at ease.

"Oh, do come inside, you must be exhausted!" Lucia started fussing, ordering Carlos and Aria to take our bags. Callie turned round to look at Arizona and rolled her eyes.

"We're not that tired, mom, it was only five hours." She told Lucia who was having none of it.

"Nonsense! Would you like something to eat, drink…?"

"We're good just now, mom. I think we're just gonna take our bags up to our room."

Once they reached Callie's old bedroom Callie immediately collapsed onto the bed, while Arizona looked around laughing.

"So this is where the teenage Callie slept?" She laughed, gesturing to posters of bands she didn't recognise, shelves of books and a teddy bear on the chair in the corner.

"Yup, where I spent most of my time." Callie replied with a laugh. She then took Arizona's hand and pulled her down onto the bed with her.

"Your mom's really nice." Arizona commented after a few moments of silence. "So is Aria, and your dad, even though he didn't say much."

"That's because mom and Aria never shut up to let him." Callie joked, lifting their still entwined hands up and examining them. "I'm just glad they never took a freaky and sent us away."

"Aww, and you said you weren't nervous." Arizona smiled, turning round to face her.

"I wasn't, not until we got outside." Callie admitted, before jumping up and holding her hand out. "C'mon, they're probably wondering what's taking so long."

When they reached he kitchen down stairs they were greeted by the wonderful smell of lasagne.

"Mmmm, mom's lasagne." Callie sighed, closing her eyes and taking in the smell. "It's the best." She told Arizona.

"Well then instead of sitting there, why don't you help me?" Lucia instructed. "There are pots in the sink to be washed."

Callie groaned loudly before standing up and dragging her feet over to the sink. "I remember one time, after I had worked a twelve hour shift, Arizona tried to make lasagne for me coming in." She gave a sly look to Arizona. "Emphasis on the 'tried'. I was this close to having to call the fire department." She laughed, holding her thumb and index finger millimetres apart.

"Hey!" Arizona faked hurt. "It wasn't that bad!"

Everyone laughed at that. "Of course it wasn't. Cremated lasagne's my favourite." Callie mocked. The rest of the family watched their easy joking in amusement. It was clear for them to see that Callie had chosen the right person.

Twenty minutes later found Arizona and Carlos in the dining room setting the table. Their conversation was a little awkward, but that was normal.

"I'm just going to cut to the chase- I'm assuming you know what you'll be faced with if you hurt my Calliope?" Carlos asked. Arizona in the past had thought that when she was asked this question she would freeze, but apparently when you run over the answer so many times in your head it becomes easier.

"Probably the same as what Mark Sloan threatened me with." Arizona laughed, but then switched to a more serious tone. "I love Calliope, sir. When I think of my future with her I don't just see a few months ahead- I see a lifetime. Marriage, kids, everything. I have no intention to break her heart. If she realises that I'm not who she wants then I'll be gone- it'd be a privilege to have my heart broken by her." She admitted. "I love her." She repeated.

Carlos thought for a minute, then smiled, obviously pleased with her answer. "You're good for her. She's a lot happier now that you're around."

That night around dinner, the topic of conversation was whether to go out or not. Ultimately, it was Callie and Arizona's decision.

"We could go down to the beach, it's so pretty there!" Callie suggested, to what seemed like an agreement from everyone else.

"So, Arizona, where did you grow up?" Lucia asked as she took a sip of her wine.

"Oh, all over the place!" Arizona began. "My dad's a Colonel in the Marine Corps, so we never stayed anywhere longer than 18 months. By the time I was 14 we'd lived in over ten states."

"That must have been great, seeing so much of America. Did you ever consider enlisting?"

Arizona thought for a minute. "A few times as I was growing up, I think. I always knew I wanted to go into medicine so I thought of trauma, but it just wasn't really for me, because I wanted to work with kids. My brother, Timothy enlisted though. He loved it."

Callie squeezed Arizona's hand under the table, knowing that the topic of her brother wasn't the easiest.

"Does he come home often?"

Arizona sighed, wishing that that would happen. "Um, he died over there about four years ago. It was a roadside bomb. Everyone on that truck survived except him, because he was trapped under it." She gave Callie a reassuring look to let her know that she was okay. Tim's death was something she'd never get used to, and she thought about him every day. But one thing that had gotten easier over the years was talking about him.

"I'm so sorry, Arizona." Lucia apologised sympathetically, putting a gentle arm on Arizona's shoulder.

"Don't be, you were just asking questions. The subject was bound to come up, considering he was and still is a big part of my life."

It didn't take long for the atmosphere to lighten up again after that, and soon enough they were heading down to the beach. Callie didn't talk much as her parents happily told Arizona all different types of stories from Callie's childhood. She would have liked to protest at some of the more embarrassing ones, but she was just glad that her parents accepted Arizona and didn't completely shut her out.

"It's so amazing here!" Arizona exclaimed as they stopped to look around. Everyone around them seemed to be smiling, there was a band playing some sort of Latin music and everything was just so relaxed.

"You know, I always wanted to dance to this music but I never had a partner." Callie commented, taking Arizona's hand. Arizona, who knew what was coming next, gasped and tried to pull her hand free.

"Callie, I can't dance!" She exclaimed, looking around. "And there are loads of people!" She added, turning bright red.

"And loads of those people are dancing to! They don't care whether you can dance or not. Besides, we're probably never gonna see any of these people ever again.

Arizona would've liked to have been given a minute to consider this, but she didn't have a chance as Callie had already taken her hand again and was dragging her to an open space. She sighed as she watched Callie begin to dance, and she actually found herself relaxing as she began to move to the music.

After a while people began to gather round to watch them, but they didn't even notice as they were so wrapped up in their own little bubble. They didn't care about the people, or the fact that Aria was running a circle around them taking photos from every angle, because they didn't notice. They were just so happy in this moment, to be together and not having a care in the world.

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Super cheesy, I know. But I hope you liked it!


	3. Peds, right?

What Happens chapter five

**Hello, people of earth! This one shot is inspired by head-cannon I saw whilst scrolling through Tumblr in the middle of the night ignoring all of my responsibilities… Hope you guys enjoy it!**

"Time of death, 6:07pm."

With a heavy heart and my head hanging low I exited the OR in defeat, leaning against the sinks in the scrub room as I retraced every single step of the surgery I had just performed. I kept my head down as I scrubbed out; concentrating harder than normal on making sure every single part of my hands was clean.

I thought of the patient I'd just lost, 11 year old Emily Green. She had been my patient for nearly three months before now. It was the long term losses that always hit me the hardest, because not only did it feel like all of the work was for nothing, but it gave you time to get attached to the patient, which was a crucial mistake in peds. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, you get attached anyway, and you end up here.

"Robbins, you okay?" The familiar voice of Alex Karev broke through my trance and it came to my realisation that I'd been scrubbing my hands aggressively for close to six minutes now, and they were beginning to turn red and sore.

"I will be. Just a hard one." I said through a half smile. He nodded in understanding. "Are _you_ okay?" I asked him, discarding the towel I used to dry my hands and turning to face him.

"As you said, a hard one."

The rest of my shift passed by in a flash, and since Sofia was having a sleepover with Zola tonight, I took the chance of being child free and decided to catch a few drinks at Joes. I loved Sofia, with all my heart, but I really needed a drink or two these days.

It had been two years since my world came crashing down, since our family was torn apart. Two years since Callie called it and walked out of that therapist's office to be happy. And I wanted her to be happy, and it was amazing to see her smile, but it was hard. It was hard because I knew deep down that this was never what I wanted, but I'd done nothing to stop her walking. And plus, it had been mostly my fault that we split.

When I'd mentioned to my therapist that that was how I felt she'd immediately shut me down, reassuring me that it wasn't, and tried to get to the bottom of why I thought that. She could say that all she wanted, April could reassure me time again, but there was just no going past the fact that _I_ left for Africa, _I_ was a bitch and shut Callie out for months after the plane crash, and _I_ was the one who cheated.

I looked back on the last two years of my life and I couldn't even fool myself that I was happy. But what was I supposed to do? I had a chance at love and I screwed it up and that was that. I had Sofia, and a damn good job, and I could be happy with that. Sofia made me light up and just the sound of her name brought music to my ears. I loved her with everything I had in me. And that was enough.

I sat alone in the busy bar, talking to only Joe. I just sat there, overthinking. I watched the clock un-intently as it ticked on purposefully slowly.

"Hey, you okay?" Maggie asked me, taking a seat beside me.

"Yeah, just overthinking." I replied flatly and she gave me a look of concern.

"You sure?"

That's what brought tears to my eyes. Because once again, I was telling people I was fine. It felt rehearsed as the words flew easily from my lips.

"Yeah, um, yeah. I'm good." I stuttered, trying to conceal my water eyes. I struggled for a minute before getting up and walking briskly into the bathroom, determined not to lose my shit.

Once I reached the bathroom I made a hasty job of drying my eyes and fixing my makeup. I looked myself straight in the eye through the mirror and took a breath.

"You got this, Robbins. Keep your shit together." I told myself firmly, and just as I was about to brace myself for the outside world again and leave, I heard a person enter and I was met by an all too familiar voice.

"Hey." She said casually. Determined to hide my upset, I smiled back.

"Hey."

Over the last two years, Callie and I had formed what could be recognised as a friendship. We talked to each other, mainly about Sofia, and we shared the occasional text. When all of our friends were together we'd participate in the conversation. I had almost let go of the sadness that filled me every time she walked into a room and I couldn't just get up right then and there. Almost. I was working on it, but by the nerves and tension I could feel right now, I could tell I'd taken a major step backwards.

"Peds, right?" Callie broke the silence with a smile and it took every fibre of my being not to just kiss her right then and there.

"Yeah."

"Right. I'm Callie Torres, orthopaedic surgery." She replied. 'Go with it' she mouthed silently and I just smiled, deciding to do what she said.

"I've seen you around the hospital." She began, and then waited for a few seconds. "People talk. Where we work, people talk. So you should know that I know things about you."

"Oh, you mean? Great." I chimed in sarcastically, just as she had done nearly ten years ago. The flashbacks went off in my brain like grenades, stabbing my heart when I remembered how happy we were.

"It is actually, the talk. People really like you there. Some _really_ like you." She whispered dramatically. "You just seem sad, and I just that you should know, that once you're over being upset, there'll be people lining up for you."

My heart started racing as my brain clicked on to where this was going. Callie was approaching closer and closer, so much so that I could smell the familiar sweet coconut and cocoa beans smell that I'd missed oh so much. I fumbled with my words for a second, my nerves evidently getting the better of me.

"You- do you w-wanna give me some names?" I stuttered out, not even close to how I remembered it so clearly.

Before I could even process it, she had grasped my face gently in her hand and crashed her soft lips onto mine. I was shocked for a moment before I happily reciprocated the soft, familiar kiss. It was nothing more than a kiss, but she still had the ability to make my heart race and my head spin.

"I think you'll know." She smirked before swiftly pulling away, exiting the room without another word. I stood there in shock for several minutes, a goofy smile plastered onto my face.

After my brain decided to start working again I decided to head home. I smiled when Joe informed me that my tab had been paid for. An everlasting smile graced my lips as I crossed the street and rounded the corner, thoughts of Calliope never leaving my head.

**A/N: So, what'd you think? I just thought it would be an amazing way to reunite Calzona (YES I'M TALKING TO YOU SHONDA RHIMES) .**

**Now, after all of the fun I had writing this I realised I could possibly turn this into a multi chapter. No many, but a few more. Or should I just leave it as a one shot? Please review and let me know!**


	4. Coming Home

What Happens chapter five

**So after a sleepless night that I spent watching YouTube videos, I got inspired. This is extremely full of fluff, but isn't that what everyone loves secretly? I hope you enjoy! **

To me, it was just a regular Wednesday. There was nothing about this day, that I was going to talk about anyway, that made it different from every other day of the week. Because, without Tim, it was. My seventeenth birthday would never be as fun or as special as it would be when he was here, so I had put everyone under strict instructions to make no big deal of it.

I couldn't help the tears that escaped my eyes as I brushed through my blonde curls. Timothy was supposed to be here, and up until a week ago he was going to be. He was supposed to have a two week leave so that he could be here for my birthday, but it had been cancelled at the very last minute. The amount that I missed him when he was away was terrible, because he was my best friend. My best friend that, fresh out of high school, had joined the Marines like our father.

It was hard to adapt to not having him around. Because we moved so much throughout our childhood, friends had always been a come and go thing, but Tim hadn't. Wherever we were or whatever I did, he was always there beside me. We were a tag team of trouble makers, him often convincing me to do stuff which got us in trouble, and he would always take the blame. When he told me he was going to join the Marines it didn't surprise me. He was such a brave and protective person and I couldn't think of anyone better to serve our country.

"Happy Birthday, sweetie!" My mother exclaimed as I walked into the kitchen that morning. I'll give her her due, there were no balloons or banners hung up around the room as there normally were. There was, however, my mom's signature extravagant birthday breakfast. The table was nearly crippling under the weight of pancakes, fruits and yoghurts, granola, waffles, and every type of fruit juice you could imagine. I raised my eyebrows in amusement.

"You know we'll never be able to eat all of this, right?" I asked with a smile, deciding not to object. Timothy being away was just as hard on my parents as it was on me.

"Do you doubt my appetite, young lady?" My dad asked from his chair at the head of the table. He smiled as he got to his feet and walked over to embrace me in a bear hug. I hugged him back gladly, taking in the scent of peppermint and shoe polish that lingered on his clothes. I then walked over to hug my mom, who always smelt of Lavender.

"Thanks, you guys." I said thankfully, taking a plate and helping myself to a big ass plateful of pancakes. Whenever one of our birthdays resided on a weekend, Tim and I would have a competition over who could eat the most pancakes in a certain amount of time. We had learned better than to do it on school days, though, as none of us were able to move very much for about an hour afterwards, having eaten so much.

Our chat over breakfast remained light and fun. The absence of my brother lingered in the air, but I tried to pay little attention to it. Today was not a day that I wanted to cry on, even if I was blatantly ignoring the fact that I was turning seventeen.

My parents drove me to school that morning, and it was the only time in the whole year that I ever allowed them to do so. I bade them a quiet goodbye as I climbed out of the car, facing the school with a look of determination before making my way in. On the way I spotted my best friend Charlie standing by the main doors, waving rapidly and holding up a gift bag. I rolled my eyes as I walked towards her, guessing that she too had chosen to ignore my 'no big deal' rule.

"Happy birth-" She started to exclaim before I cut her off.

"Nope. Nuh-uh. We're not doing that, because that's not what we do on normal days, and today is a normal day." I shushed her, but she completely ignored my words and continued anyway.

"Happy Birthday!" She exclaimed excitedly, enveloping me in a big hug. I eventually gave in and returned the embrace, deciding not to fight her anymore.

As the first few classes of the day flew past, I found myself gradually warming up to the idea of my birthday. I still wasn't making a big deal of it, but I decided not to let my brother's absence bring my mood down. I was known as an extremely happy and sprightly person in school, and I decided to continue living up to that reputation. As sad as I was about Timothy not being here, I could save my tears for my pillow as I had done last night, and several nights before that.

I found myself smiling as I sat among a group of my new friends in the cafeteria that lunchtime. I had only arrived here about a month ago, a month late for the beginning of the school year, but these people had taken me in from the beginning and taught me the ropes. They had learned of my birthday through my Facebook page and only a few of them had listened to the 'no big deal' rule.

I sighed happily as I sat back, having just finished my lunch and some last minute AP Biology homework. I listened animatedly to the table conversation, which mainly revolved around school work and the debate over whether penguins had knees or not.

"You okay?" Charlie asked me from where she was sitting across from me. I had zoned out for all of two seconds and of course she had noticed. She had persistently asked the same question on multiple occasions that day. She was the only one that I had truly opened up to about my sadness of my brother not being here.

"I'm fine. Will you stop worrying about me? I'm great." I assured her, and it was great to find out that I wasn't lying. Yes, there was still a lingering sadness in me that I wouldn't see my best friend and brother on my birthday but the people I was surrounded by right now were making it a pretty decent day. Just then, the loud announcement bleep of the cafeteria intercom sounded and I rolled my eyes. Our head teacher, Mr Wilson, only really cared about sport, so I didn't doubt that it would be some soccer team score announcements.

"And we have a birthday in the cafeteria, so happy seventeenth birthday to Arizona Robbins!" He announced happily, and I turned to glare at Charlie who was smiling guiltily and laughing at my furious blushing.

"Yeah, happy birthday, Arizona." A second voice said through the microphone.

I froze in my tracks. I knew that voice. It was a voice that I hadn't heard in over nine months and it was a voice that I recognised. My heart skipped about a thousand beats as I realised whose voice it was.

It was Timothy's.

I spun around in my seat, standing up to get a better view of the crowd. My eyes scoured the room for the sight of my brother until I spotted him standing beside Mr Wilson, and my parents, at the top of the cafeteria.

Tears started to stream down my face. My feet could barely keep up with me as I ran as fast as I possibly could towards my brother. When I reached him I threw myself into his arms, my legs wrapping around his waist. My head buried in his neck and his strong arms wrapped around me, holding me as tightly as he could. I continued to sob as I clung onto him.

"Don't cry, Zona, it's only me." He laughed as he released me. The whole cafeteria erupted into applause and I couldn't stop laughing and crying and every emotion possible was coursing through my body.

"You lied to me! You said you weren't coming home for another month!" I yelled, but it was in happiness. I could never really be mad at him, at least not now anyway. I embraced both of my parents in a tight hug.

"Did you guys know about this?" I asked about five minutes later as we walked out of the school, covered in pieces of confetti for which Charlie and my friend Katie were responsible. My parents had spoken to the school office and my teachers and they were all happy to let me out of the rest of my classes.

"We did." My mom laughed, and my dad nodded in agreement.

"I really thought you weren't coming." I admitted sadly to Tim who was still clad in his uniform.

"I managed to arrange something last minute. I'm only here for three days, but here was no way I was missing my baby sister's birthday."

"Well, she's not exactly a baby anymore. She's seventeen! My baby's seventeen!" My mom cried, hugging me. Tim and I made a face at each other over her shoulder.

"Enough with the sap, mom." I laughed jokingly.

"I also spoke with you friend Charlie last week, and her and a few friends got it all on video." My dad revealed, making me smile. He'd broken the news to us that this was going to be the place we would settle down, and I couldn't think of a better place.

The rest of the night went smoothly and happily. We went to get ice cream before hanging around and chatting for the rest of the night. My aunt Sarah dropped by with my cousin Layla and that was fun. I was so happy to have my brother here. For the rest of the night I refused to think of him going away again and decided to focus on the right now picture, which was that my brother was here right now and I was happier than I'd ever been.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! Jeez... It's been forever since I got inspired to write a one-shot. Just want to make it clear that this story has no regular update pattern- I just write what one shots I feel inspired to write, even if that is rarely.**

**Anyway, if you haven't read my other fics, you should totally do that.**

**Without further ado, I hope you enjoy this!**

There were no words to describe the hectic life in which I lived. All four of my parents were doctors, so a strict schedule isn't something that I was used to sticking to. Well, except from my mama, who was raised military style- every second planned and accounted for. I presumed that her methods of organisation weren't quite as strict as she had been raised following, but there was an underlying sternness when it came to being on time that was a tell-tale sign of deeply ingrained military fashions.

My mom was a whole different story. She was often running five minutes late to every scheduled event- any event she attended where my mama wasn't keeping time, anyway. Though to be a doctor she did have to maintain a certain level of organisation and time-keeping, anybody who was more than two minutes late looked like the most unorganised person on earth when compared to my mama.

The way I saw it, my parenting unit was split into two halves, organisation and disciplinary-wise. My mama, Arizona, and my stepmom, Lexie, both liked to keep tight schedules. If it weren't for them, my mom and dad would never show up to anything on time. They were also the calmer of the unit when it came to punishments- hell hath no fury, but at least they were calm about it. My mom and dad were the shouters of the ship, the hot-headed ones. If I were in trouble I'd call my mama or stepmom first, just because they were less likely to freak out.

If I had to decide, my mama was the calmest out of all my parents. She kept her calm in a crisis- 'a good mad in a storm', as my mom so often described her. She was a stoic person but didn't shy away from compassion and silliness. The wheely sneaks that I so often adorned were just one of the things I had gained from my mama, much like my incessant curiosity. My younger sister, Maya, had also gained a pair for her ninth birthday, much to the protestations of our mom.

I suppose it was the stoic nature of my mama that kept one topic strictly off-limits. My mama didn't necessarily hide the fact that she only had one leg, no, but no questions were asked about it and there were certainly none about what had caused it.

I knew some, of course. The plane crash that had cost my mama her left leg had also given my stepmom a slight limp on her right hip and my father a jagged scar down his chest along with routinely check-ups with a cardiologist. There was no way that they could withhold all the details from me- but even what I did know was need-to-know.

I wasn't blind to my mama's struggles. I had turned fifteen two weeks ago, and I was sure they still overestimated my naivety. Alight with curiosity, I had done all the research I could on leg amputations. I knew all about the risks of delayed neuromas and recurring phantom limb pain. I knew about the physiotherapist appointments my mama attended every six months and I knew about the different prosthetics available to her.

I was at my mom's house one day after school, which was usual for a Tuesday. Usually, I stayed with my moms from Sunday until Thursday, and then I stayed with dad and Lexie Thursday through Sunday. Seeing as we lived across the street from each other, this arrangement was highly flexible and often switched around depending on weekend plans and what not. When I was younger we used to live in an apartment that was also across the hall from dad and Lexie, and when they had all decided to take the next adult step in their lives by buying houses, I guess they had grown attached to the nearby arrangement. The house where my dad, Lexie, and my little brother Jamie resided was visible from my bedroom window.

It was just me and my mama in the house. My mom had a kickass surgery today in which she would essentially rebuild a man's arm. It made me feel proud to know that my parents saved lives every day. Aunt Meredith and Uncle Derek had offered to have Maya over for dinner, seeing as she and Ellis got along so well. Zola Shepherd was my best friend also, since we'd known each other since we were just tiny humans.

I was perched on a stool at the kitchen island, my composition homework scattered haphazardly around me. I had been attempting to give one bar an impressionist-like sound for the last thirty minutes and my brain was gradually switching off to any other sound. Music was something I had developed a passion for from a young age. When I was little I was always singing along with my mom. I had been playing the violin since fourth grade and I was gradually getting the hang of my hand at piano.

My flair for music had been a surprise for even myself- with four doctors for parents, everybody had expected me to be scientifically inclined and go on to be a doctor, but now I knew that a career in music was something I wanted to pursue.

"What's all this?" My mama asked me as she gave up on the paperwork she was filling out and came over to join me. Perching on the stool next to me she picked up one of the sheets carefully, squinting her eyes at it in amusement. "What does this sign mean?" She asked, pointing to a sharp sign.

"That's a sharp. It moves the note up a semitone. Say on a piano, it goes from a white key to a black key." I explained briefly and she dropped the paper.

"Okaaay." She said slowly, making me laugh. Reading sheet music seemed to be such a hard concept to understand for everyone else, but to me it came naturally. "Do you want pasta for dinner?" She asked, even though she was already reaching up into the cupboard above the sink to retrieve the ingredients required.

"Only if you don't try to make it from scratch again." I quipped, and watched in amusement as she feigned hurt. It was safe to say that my mom was the cook of the family. I silently recalled the time where my mama had attempted to make pasta from scratch- long story short, we made friends with the employees of Seattle's local fire department.

"That was one time." She gasped, dumping a bag of Tagliatelle into a pot full of water. I watched as she jerked backwards and shielded her face as water came back to splash her. I immediately burst into a fit of giggles, watching as she dried her face off and shock me a glare, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards in a smirk.

I wasn't really paying attention to her as she bustled about the kitchen. My homework quickly absorbed all my attention again and soon my mind was fuzzy, sharp signs and flattened notes changing the sound of the music as I played it through in my head.

It wasn't until I heard my mama yell out that my head finally snapped up. I watched as she gripped the counter tightly and ducked her head, her face contorted with pain. I immediately stood up and noticed that her hand was massaging her leg, where I knew her prosthetic started.

"What's wrong? Is it your leg?" I asked worriedly, before slapping myself internally. Obviously, it was the leg. I stepped forward and took her arm gently. "Let's go over to the couch." I suggested, gently leading her over. In this moment, I was glad that our kitchen and living room were conjoined. She nodded briskly, not saying a word as we went, instead focusing on her breathing. "What can I do?" I inquired as she sat down, screwing her eyes shut tightly.

"The mirror." She gasped. "In the bathroom. Get it." She instructed. I nodded firmly and set off to find it. It didn't take me long to travel along the hallway to the downstairs bathroom. I quickly dismounted the mirror, and, being careful not to drop it, I transported it back to the living room, where my mama was removing her prosthetic hastily. I handed her the mirror and she took it without hesitation.

All I could do was sit back and watch as she placed the mirror between her legs. I had heard of this before- mirror box therapy. Her face was flushed and her hair was sticking up on its ends, but her face slowly relaxed as the took in the image of a leg that didn't hurt. My face saddened as I took in my mama's pained expression- I hated seeing her in pain.

"I'm sorry." She croaked, her voice full of emotion and fatigue. "You're not supposed to see this stuff."

I shook my head adamantly. "Don't be silly. It's not your fault." I waited in silence for a further few minutes. Despite her blank expression, I could tell she was still in a considerable amount of pain. Wanting to do something productive, I whipped out my phone and dialled my mom's number. I knew that she was still in surgery, but it was scheduled to be finishing up. Surely there was someone that could take over for her.

"Sofia?" She answered, and I could hear the steady beeping of the heart monitors in the background. The occasional draining sound of blood being suctioned. "I'm in the OR. You're on speaker. What's up?"

"How long until your surgery is finished?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. I gently grasped my mama's hand, letting her squeeze it tightly.

"I'm just about to start closing up. It went great. Why?" She asked curiously.

"Can someone take over for you? You need to come home." I said shortly. "It's mama." I added, conveying through the tone of my voice that this was urgent. I heard my mama protest faintly beside me, insisting that my mom didn't come home, that she was okay, but I didn't listen to her.

It was silent for a second as I let my mom process my tone. "I'll be there soon. It helps if you talk to her about it." She said, before the end call tone sounded in my ear and I dropped the phone on the floor, sitting on the couch beside my mama, who had her head in her hands, a singular tear running down her left cheek. I could tell that it was my presence alone that was stopping her from sobbing.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" I asked, eliciting a small, fervent nod from her. "How about what triggered it?"

I took a few moments before she started to talk, and when she did, her voice was dry and scratchy. I let go of her hand and made my way to pour her a glass of water, giving her an encouraging nod to continue. "I amputated a fourteen-year old's leg today. And I've done amputations since my own, multiple times, but…"

"This was the same day that you lost your leg, too." I finished for her, suddenly realising. I knew that the plane crash had occurred fourteen years ago, a week ago. It had happened just a week after my first birthday. I never knew the exact details of my mama's injuries, but all the pieces seemed to fit together.

"Yeah." She sighed, a soft whimper escaping her lips as she gripped my hand tighter. "Do you know that I withheld consent at first?"

"Really?" I asked, surprise filling my features. It seemed so unlike my mama, who was the most rational and calm person I knew. However, I knew vaguely what had happened after the plane crash. They had been stranded in the woods for four days. I knew with all of the emotional and physical trauma, my mama probably hadn't been thinking rationally. Plus, it was fourteen years ago, and my mama was probably a much different person back then.

"Yeah. I was in denial over how bad it all was. I thought that if I lost my leg, I wouldn't be able to be your mama. That I would never get to hold you again, or chase you through the park, or drive you to school, or drop you off around the corner when you met up with your friends." She admitted. "I knew I was being irrational, because there's very little that I can't do with this prosthetic, but still."

"I get it." I told her. I had never seen this side of my mama before. She very rarely let her guard slip to anyone who wasn't my mom- even on her worst days she remained stoic. "You were scared."

She paused for a few seconds, taking time to process my words. "Yeah." She said eventually. "I was scared."

"Dad said that you helped keep him alive." I admitted. My dad was the one who was most open about the plane crash. If I asked, none of my parents withheld details from me, although they tiptoed around them and sugar-coated everything. My dad however, always stated that I had been born middle aged, that I was older in my head than in my years. He didn't go into full detail, but he was honest about it.

She nodded. She seemed to be gradually relaxing into the couch more. I knew that the pain was not gone by any means, but I could also tell that our conversation was at least distracting her a little. Her hand remained tightly clamped around mine and her breathing was still unsteady, but her posture was relaxing slightly.

"He was in and out of consciousness. I told him: 'Sofia is waiting for you, and Lexie is waiting for you, and Callie is waiting for you… And I am waiting for you. We're gonna go home together, okay?'. And he held on. And so did Lexie." She said.

"And so did you." I reminded her softly. I could imagine my mama out there, stubbornly refusing to go anywhere but home. I could imagine her even more vividly comforting my dad, even though I had only seen their sibling-like, playful-banter filled relationship. My mama was great at comforting- she always knew they right things to say.

Just then, we both heard the front door being opened and slammed shut. We heard my mom's rushed footsteps before her exasperated face appeared in the doorway, stopping as she examined the scene in front of her.

"I've got this from here." She told me gently, taking my mama's hand. I would have offered to stay, but I understood that this wasn't something that I was supposed to see in the first place. I stood up quietly, smiling as I watched my mama lean into my mom's embrace, closing her eyes tiredly. It comforted me to know that my parents were just as much in love as they were when they got married.

"I'll make some dinner." I offered, sliding out of the living room. I had inherited my talent for cooking from my mom, luckily. As said before, my mama didn't quite have the knack for cooking that the rest of the family did.

As I carefully teased the pasta around the edges of the pot, I played the events of the last hour over in my head. It made me sad to see my mama struggle with these things, things that no one would ever be able to truly understand. But I knew that she had the best of support systems. My mom would stay with her until her pain passed, whispering comforting worlds to help calm her down. I would make pasta and when it was done, we would all snuggle up and watch a movie. And when Maya arrived home, she would brighten everybody's mood with her spunky attitude and positive outlook on life that she inherited from my mama.

I knew that my family was dysfunctional. After all, most people didn't have four moms and more aunts and uncles than they could count. I knew that we were all a bunch of misfits trying to make it in the world, but they were my misfits. My family. And I loved them all.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Hi guys! I've been super one-shot inspired recently. And also super-unmotivated to study for exams that are in just over a month. Thus, this one shot was born. I wrote nearly 3000 words in one day, no lie. Only my conscience suffered as a result though. I'm still working on The First Time Ever so if you don't follow that, then please do! Also, thank you to my amazing girlfriend cmoney13 for listening to me complain about not having enough time to study, but then spending my time writing instead. Please leave lovely reviews!**

**Happy Existing!**

"But what if birds are afraid of heights?"

Arizona sighed, looking through the screen at the innocent figure who looked back at her. Miss Sofia Robbin Sloan Torres was currently boycotting any form of sleep- instead, it seemed she was letting her mind dance gracefully through the theories of a six-year-old- tonight's question was one Arizona was struggling to answer.

"Well, uh…" She mumbled, trying to form an answer in her head. "Well, do you get scared when you're walking?"

"No, mama, don't be silly."

"Well, walking for us is just like flying for birds. They don't get scared." She explained to her, and she watched her daughter's nose scrunch up in concentration. She felt a stab of pain in her heart- how she missed that nose. She loved to kiss that nose and tap it playfully when she tried to steal the cake batter.

"I guess." Sofia said eventually, before yawning.

"You should go to sleep, hurricane. The birds will be there to wonder about in the morning."

"Will you stay on call until I fall asleep?" She asked, her big brown eyes filled with hope.

"Of course I will. Now go to sleep, dream sweet dreams. Fly high with the birds and never be afraid of falling."

Arizona waited patiently, listening carefully as her breathing slowed into a steady rhythm and watching as her eyes fluttered closed, the last of her resolve melting from her face. She studied her daughter's face intently, memorising every last detail, from the freckle just below her left eye to the barely noticeable scratch on her chin that she had gained while playing tag at recess. She longed to hold her in her arms- to sniff her sweet hair and talk long into the night about birds.

After a few minutes, she heard Callie walking back into the room. She picked up the iPad and they bid their short goodbyes before hanging up. She was quickly snapped back to reality and she looked round the empty living room, sighing. Andrew wasn't home yet, but that was no surprise. Interns never had strict shifts.

"Well, there's no time like the present for wine." She mumbled to herself, grabbing her crutches which were lying on the floor and making her way through to the kitchen. She grabbed a glass and a bottle of wine and balanced them carefully as she went back to the living room. She had carrying things while using her crutches down to a science- practice made perfect.

She poured a glass for herself, leaning back into the cushions of the couch, closing her eyes and letting the deep exhaustion settle in. It seemed that all she felt nowadays was tiredness- both physical and mental. With Alex gone, she was working double time in the peds department, on top of running the maternal/foetal department. She was running herself down and she knew it- the stress had caused her to lose weight which made her prosthetic fit wrong and she hadn't had time to make an appointment with David due to her busy schedule. And, above all of that, she missed Sofia.

They talked every night via facetime- they talked until the little girl fell asleep, no matter where Arizona was- in an on-call room, in an OR, or in the house alone. She seemed to be happy there, with Callie and Perfect Penny. She had friends there but Arizona knew that she missed being here. She always asked when she could come home. She just needed one sign, any sign at all, that she had made the right choice by showing up at Callie's door and telling her to take her baby to New York.

She was snapped out of her reverie by the familiar sound of her email notification. She assumed it was work and picked up the iPad, opening up her e-mails. However, she was surprised not to see one of the e-mail addresses that she was so used to seeing, but the name of a person who she hadn't heard from in seven years.

_Arizona,_

_You gave my son more years than we could have hoped for. Worked diligently through his worst days with us. Yet, we haven't spoken in seven years. Even though he didn't make it through his 11__th__ birthday, you saved his life. And we have never forgotten you. I hope that you would be available on Saturday at noon for coffee at The Nest, just to catch up. You weren't just a doctor but a friend._

_Bethany Anderson_

It took her a few moments to process the e-mail. Her mind stretched back, to all of those years ago, to remember Bethany and Paul Anderson and their son Wallace. His case had been one of the hardest in her career- it stuck with her until this day. It was crazy to think about how much had changed. There had been no shooting, no plane crash. She and Callie weren't married. Sofia was but a glint in their eyes. Their relationship was solid- no breakups, no cheating, no custody battles… They thought the world was on their side.

Arizona knew she had to accept Bethany's invitation. It may be hard, to look back on one of the hardest cases yet one of the happiest times of her life. But, Bethany was right. Their family had massive influence on her both in her professional and personal life. On her birthday that year, she may not have told Callie she loved her if she hadn't realised how short and unfair life was. She learned from his case- poured herself into research for short gut syndrome, wrote articles about it that were published all over America.

Taking a deep breath, she set her wine glass down and replied.

_Bethany,_

_You're right. Life went on and before we knew it, seven years went by. I'd be happy to accept your invitation- The Nest is a really good place. I look forward to seeing you again._

_Arizona_

It was barely turning 5:30pm, but she was already drained. She scrolled lazily through some Facebooks posts, smiling half-heartedly at humble-bragging moms whom she used to go to school with posting photos of their kids. She was completely zoned out when the door slammed behind her. She craned her neck around to see Andrew coming into the living room.

"Hey. You look exhausted." She said to him as he flopped down on the couch beside her and ripped open a bag of chips and offered her one, which she declined.

"Yeah. Could say the same to you."

She nodded. "I just got an unexpected e-mail from the parent of a kid I treated seven years ago. The kid had short gut syndrome and wasn't expected to live past nine when I met him. He died on his eleventh birthday, my thirty-first birthday. His mom wants to meet up for coffee."

He raised his eyebrows. "It's weird. Seven seems such a small number, but seven years ago… I was just starting med school, thought I would never make it through. Still put way too much wax in my hair, didn't have any idea what I was doing in the world… Still don't, just older now." He said and Arizona nodded, letting out a long sigh.

"Seven years ago, I had just met Callie. Hadn't even said 'I love you' yet. Sofia wasn't born. The shooting hadn't happened, or the plane crash, or the cheating or the divorce or the custody battle. I still had two legs. Heck, I used to skate at work. Because the kids loved it."

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Arizona eventually shut the iPad off. She stood up and steadied herself on her crutches and leaned down to retrieve the wine bottle and glass before Andrew stopped her.

"I've got it." He said, picking them up and walking through to the kitchen with them. She nodded and sat back down. They decided to order take out, and when it came they ate in comfortable silence as the night went on, before Andrew was paged into the hospital.

Three days passed, and before Arizona knew it, Saturday morning approached and she was standing outside of The Nest, looking up at the welcome sign anxiously. She hadn't even caught a glimpse of Bethany yet, but she was already feeling extremely nostalgic. She was also feeling a little intimidated- Bethany Anderson was a powerful person, yet she was the most mothery-est mother Arizona had ever met, besides her own mother. Even seven years ago, it had been easy to spill the details of a hard day to someone so willing to listen. And now there were too many bad days to talk about.

'_12:05, I'm late, dammit.'_ She thought as she stared down at her watch. The deeply ingrained lessons of a past military life were coming to mind. She was always a very punctual person, always ten minutes early to every event. However, this morning she had been paged into the hospital at 4am for an emergency surgery and had only just left. Her leg was bothering her slightly- it was loose, since she hadn't had the chance to make an appointment with David yet. But it wasn't enough to deter her from her positive outlook on this lunch.

She walked into the café, giving herself a mental pep talk as she searched the sea of heads, looking for Bethany. It was only when Bethany waved at her from the corner of the café did she finally see her, giving a wide smile in return before heading over.

"Hi, sorry I'm late. Work was hectic this morning." She apologised profusely, taking a seat opposite her. She took in her appearance carefully. She didn't look much different- a little bit older, perhaps, Arizona could see a few grey hairs poking their way through her brown curls. The last time she had seen her, there had been a prominent shadow in her eyes, a constant sadness. It was still there, but not nearly as noticeable. She laughed and brushed the apology off.

"Even now, you work so much. Do you not remember me telling you that?" Bethany laughed, and Arizona smiled, remembering the nightly rounds and the times where Bethany would find her in the hospital at all hours in the morning, telling her she worked too much.

"I do, but I love my job. I'd rather always be at a job I love rather than one I hate."

Bethany nodded, studying the blonde carefully. She was thinner- not that she had ever been fat, but her cheekbones stood out more prominently on her cheeks and her clothes hung off her. There were dark shadows under her eyes, clearly from prolonged exhaustion. Bethany also hadn't missed the slight limp that Arizona walked with. But there was also the familiar dimpled smile, the natural pep and zeal that she was used to seeing from the paediatric surgeon.

"I don't even know where to begin." Arizona admitted. "How's life been?" She asked, before slapping herself internally. The last time she had seen Bethany, she had just lost her son. It would be idiotic to presume her life had been all sunshine and rainbows since the last time they talked.

Bethany smiled. "In a good place right now, actually. Paul and I moved to California about six years ago- it was a good way of refreshing, just to get away from all of the sadness and heartbreak that Seattle stored for us." She said, and Arizona nodded. This she understood. She had done the very same thing- after Tim died, seeing him around every corner had simply been too much, and Seattle had been her escape.

"We adopted a little girl, Gracie, around three years ago. I was reluctant at first, I felt like I was replacing Wallace, but Paul and I were so in love with her. I couldn't see it as replacing him when we were giving her a new home, a chance at a great life. The first time I held her in my arms I knew she was my daughter." She explained, a dreamy smile filling her face. She also understood this- Arizona never thought that she could love anyone as much as she loved Sofia until she held her in her arms for the first time.

"I get that. I never thought I could love a human as much as I love my daughter, but the moment I held her in my arms I knew that she was mine." Arizona said, letting her face break out into the biggest smile she had at the thought of Sofia.

Bethany gasped. "You have a daughter?"

"I do. Sofia." The blonde surgeon stated proudly, unlocking her phone to show the picture of both her and Sofia that she had as her home screen. Bethany smiled.

"And how's Dr Torres? You were together, weren't you?" She asked, and Arizona felt the smile slowly melt off of her face. At that point in their relationship, she and Callie had been the power couple of the hospital. It hurt her heart to think of everything they had lost- but she reminded herself, again, that Callie was happy in New York. After all she had put Callie through in their marriage, she owed her ex-wife happiness.

Bethany noticed the smile fall from the blonde's face. "Sorry, touchy subject?"

"Um, no. We got married, had Sofia, and now we're divorced. So much happened in seven years… and it proved too much. She lives In New York with Sofia." Arizona told her. Bethany watched her carefully. The Arizona Robbins she knew wasn't there anymore. So much had changed in seven years and now she saw a woman trying to keep it together while she talked about her ex-wife and daughter.

Just then, the waiter came over and asked for their order. Bethany turned to Arizona. "Do you wanna get this to go? I could use some fresh air."

Arizona easily complied and they both ordered coffees to go. Once they were outside they fell into a comfortable silence. "Are Paul and Gracie here with you?" Arizona asked, and Bethany shook her head.

"No, Paul stayed home to watch over Gracie. I just…" She took a deep breath. "I've avoided Seattle for so long. Ignored the fact that I built a whole life here, raised Wallace here. I think about him every day… I thought it would be harder to come back here, to be reminded of everything we had here." She admitted,

Arizona frowned. "So why did you?"

Bethany stared blankly forward for a few seconds, contemplating her answer. "I was thinking about it for a while, I knew I couldn't just stay away from here. I was thinking about Wallace's time here, but not the sad times… The happy times. Most of all, when you taught him about math and science and let him go on rounds with you. It was always the highlight of his day. He admired you so much… And I never got to thank you for making him smile every day."

Arizona was tearing up. "You don't have to thank me."

"Oh, but I do." Bethany replied, as they sat down on a bench on the side of the street. She noticed Arizona's hand automatically go to her left thigh, trying to discretely massage it. Her mind flicked back to when Arizona first entered the café, the slight limp with which she walked. "Are you okay?"

Arizona was caught. She always tried to keep the news of her leg on the down low from new people, because everything changed as soon as they found out. She didn't want the leg to be something that had to be announced- because announcing it made it something different, something bad.

"Oh, yeah…" Arizona trailed off, sighing. "I was in a plane crash nearly five years ago, and I had an open femur fracture. By the time they got me to the hospital, the infection was too bad and they had to amputate just above the knee. I have a prosthetic leg now." She revealed, giving the simplified version of events. If only people knew the ins and outs of what happened, how badly she had treated Callie, maybe they wouldn't be so nice to her. "I've been working so much lately, I haven't had the chance to make an appointment with my prosthetist."

Bethany's face fell. She was finding it hard to comprehend how much both of their lives had changed so dramatically. It felt almost like a high school reunion, when they looked back on the most stressful but happy days of their lives and had their minds boggled over how much everything had changed. "In seven years, you got married, had a baby, lost a leg, got divorced."

"Lost a baby, too." Arizona added, a stab of pain hurting her heart at the memory of such a dark time in her life. She smiled at Bethany. "You moved state, adopted a little girl. Built a whole new life."

Bethany smiled, thinking about her little girl and her husband at home. Her heart still hurt to think of Wallace, all of the opportunities in his short life that he missed, but it didn't hurt as much as she thought it would to come back to Seattle. She nodded in agreement with Arizona. "So much can change in seven years."

"Yeah."

**A/N: This one-shot was brought to you by Positive Procrastination. Please note that no study notes were harmed in the making of this chapter. If you have any complaints, please leave a review in the comments section.**


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